Barcelona Signs Kevin-Prince Boateng on Loan With €8m Purchase Option
Barcelona have completed the signing of Kevin-Prince Boateng on a six-month loan deal, with the option to make the move permanent at the end of the season.
The 31-year-old has been brought in from Sassuolo to add some extra depth to Ernesto Valverde's squad as they prepare to challenge on three fronts during the second half of the season.
If Boateng impresses between now and June, Barcelona will have the opportunity to sign him on a permanent basis for a fee of €8m.
The Ghanaian's main asset is his versatility. At Sassuolo he played mostly as a centre forward, but he has shown throughout his career that he is also capable of playing as a central midfielder, attacking midfielder or winger.
Boateng returns to the league where he enjoyed the most prolific season of his career, scoring ten goals for Las Palmas during a one-season stay in Gran Canaria in 2016/17.
English fans will remember Boateng from his days at Tottenham and Portsmouth, where he showed only flashes of potential and missed a penalty in the 2010 FA Cup final before joining AC Milan.
He has also spent time in the Bundesliga with Schalke and Eintracht Frankfurt before signing for Sassuolo last summer and scoring in three of his first five Serie A appearances, though he has struggled with injuries lately.
This is the second consecutive transfer window in which Barcelona have done business with Sassuolo, having sold youngster Marlon Santos to the Serie A club last summer.
Barcelona have a vested interested in maintaining this relationship, as they may try to sign Sassuolo midfielder Stefano Sensi in the near future.
